Qld youth pleads guilty to robbery, stealing, during crime spree

Having just been freed from Queensland youth detention, this 17-year-old embarked on a shocking crime spree during which he threatened multiple people with weapons. DETAILS.

Kingaroy Children’s Court has heard the shocking details of a 17-year-old’s crime spree during which he broke car windows and threatened people with weapons shortly after he was freed from detention for other crimes.

A South Burnett teenager has been locked away until March 2025 after going on a shocking “violent” crime spree during which he robbed, stole, and threatened a young woman with bolt cutters.

The 17-year-old, who cannot be named, recently faced the Children's Court of Queensland at Kingaroy over the string of offences, which public transcripts of the sentencing hearing reveal happened across a “very short period” in December, 2023.

Judge Glen Cash described the crimes a “spree of violent offending” where the boy stole cars while armed with a knife and shears and engaged in “very threatening behaviour” including breaking cars’ windows.

The teen’s most serious crime was threatening a young woman with bolt cutters and grabbing her violently, Judge Cash said.

The court heard the 17-year-old had a “serious criminal history” which included car theft, dangerous driving, robbery and attempted robbery.

He had recently been released on a supervision order for a two-year detention sentence at the time he committed the new crimes.

Judge Cash told the court the 17-year-old, who had schizophrenia and suffered from an intellectual disability, had a very disadvantaged background.

His mother “abused alcohol when she was pregnant” and was herself a victim of family violence, the court heard.

The teen also had a young child of his own and the court was told there were fears history was about to repeat.

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The teen faced the Children’s Court at Kingaroy over the crime spree, which he carried out across a “very short period” in December 2023.

A pre-sentence report showed concerns “repeating the violent behaviour that you witnessed when you were young by being violent toward your child’s mother”, Judge Cash said.

The teen himself was a victim of sexual abuse growing up.

His parents were in court to support him during the sentencing, the transcript read.

The teenager pleaded guilty to 12 charges including armed robbery, unlawful entry of a motor vehicle with violence while armed and in company, stealing, armed robbery in company with personal violence, unlawful use of vehicles, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, wilful damage, and breaking and entering and stealing.

Judge Cash sentenced the 17-year-old to Two-and-a-half year's detention, with an expected release on a supervision order in March 2025 owing to five months already spent on remand.

No conviction was recorded.

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